Five Charged in Takedown of Newark Drug Trafficking Ring

State Police Seize Weapons and more than $419,000 of Drugs in "Operation Drive Thru"

Newark, N.J. - The New Jersey State Police have arrested five suspects of an alleged drug trafficking ring and seized weapons, heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana and more than $150,000 as a result of "Operation Drive Thru."

The eight-month cooperative investigation dubbed “Operation Drive Thru,” began in April of 2018 and targeted a drug distribution network operating in Newark. Detectives from the New Jersey State Police Crime Suppression North Unit and Newark Police Department were able to identify five suspects and determined that the network sold significant quantities of cocaine and heroin.

On Wednesday, December 12, detectives from the New Jersey State Police Crime Suppression North Unit, T.E.A.M.S Unit, Gangs and Organized Crime North Unit, Trafficking North Unit, Fugitive Unit, and K-9 Unit along with the Newark Police Department, and United States Marshals Service executed multiple search warrants in Newark. As a result of the operation, detectives arrested the five suspects at various locations and seized the following:

"Just as deadly as the cache of weapons seized as a result of this operation is the massive quantity of narcotics taken off of the streets, which included 111,500 potentially lethal doses of heroin," said Colonel Patrick Callahan of the New Jersey State Police. "Partnerships with cooperating law enforcement agencies in narcotic operations like 'Drive Thru' are without question making our communities safer, and I commend the outstanding work of all of agencies involved."

“The seizure of two assault rifles, a tactical shotgun and 10 handguns, along with over 110,000 decks of heroin and more than 1,000 grams of cocaine, means that our streets are safer as a result of these arrests,” Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose said. “I am grateful for our partnership with the New Jersey State Police in the successful conclusion of this operation. We will continue working with our federal, state and county law enforcement partners to remove illegal guns and drugs from our neighborhoods.”

The following suspects were arrested and charged:

Dashon Coleman, 36, of Newark

Possession with intent to distribute CDS

Possession of a firearm while committing a CDS offense

Unlawful possession of a firearm

Money laundering

Certain person not to have weapons

Various other CDS and weapons offenses

Hashawn Landrum, 39, of Newark

Possession with intent to distribute CDS

Possession of a firearm while committing a CDS offense

Certain person not to have weapons

Various other CDS offenses

Quameer Elamin, 26, of Newark

Conspiracy to distribute CDS

Possession of a firearm while committing a CDS offense

Various other CDS offenses

Lamon Thomas, 46, of Newark

Possession with intent to distribute CDS

Possession of CDS

Keena Bryant, 28, of Wilkes-Barre, P.A.

Possession with intent to distribute CDS

All suspects were lodged at the Essex County Jail pending a detention hearing.

This case is being prosecuted by the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice.

Charges are mere accusations and the accused are considered innocent until proven guilty.

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